OK kids, today’s lesson is that violence is always wrong… except when we’re spanking you:
The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld the so-called spanking law that allows parents to use physical force to discipline children, but has set legal guidelines aimed at ensuring reasonable limits.
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The court indicated, for example, that it would not be reasonable to use corporal punishment for children under age two or over the age of 13. Nor would it be reasonable to use objects suchs as rulers or belts, or to strike a child on the face or head.
The general rule, set out by Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, is that corporal punishment should be legally acceptable and must involve only “minor corrective force of a transitory and trifling nature.”
Excuse me, but what exactly is “minor” or “trifling” about hitting a child?
This is a complete outrage. The spanking law on the books is an anachronism and a disgrace, and deserves to be struck down. I was encouraged to see the Supreme Court considering a challenge, but I’m disheartened by the result.
How do we teach our children to solve their disputes using words, not fists? How do we teach them that domestic violence is wrong? That hitting a child is tantamount to child abuse? How, when a teacher is allowed to spank a child in class, do we teach them respect for one another and to play games that don’t involve hitting each other?
Children copy what they see and experience. Psychologists have shown in studies that, for example, it is common for a child who is spanked to play at spanking dolls or other toys.
There is absolutely no reason for spanking. None. It solves nothing, it teaches kids nothing good. Even well-intentioned parents and teachers have plenty of better options for dealing with their children when they get out of hand. Non-physical, non-violent ones. Time-outs, grounding, taking away allowance, adding extra chores, restricting TV or computer usage… there are no shortage of ways for parents to punish kids without resorting to violence.
Government lawyers said parents need some leeway in raising their children and should not be threatened with criminal charges unless discipline crosses the line to abuse.
There’s no line there. At least there shouldn’t be. Discipline of a physical nature is abuse. And, outdated laws or not, I hope that most parents out there are enlightened enough to know that. It’s time to stop hitting kids.
My girlfriend likes to be spanked.
I have to disagree with Segacs. While spanking is wrong, criminalization is not the correct answer. The Supreme court ruling was right on the button, it protected children while saving families from the excesses of the CAS.
Spanking should not be used regularly. No one disputes that. But there are occasions when a child does something so harmful to himself or to others, and absolutely will not be pacified, when a light spanking is perfectly appropriate. Simple as that.
As for the argument that “violence is always wrong”, there are several provisions of the Criminal Code which make it clear that violence *can* be legal and appropriate – specifically when used for self-defence, or the defence of other persons or property.
How is it “self-defense” to hit your kids?
And how will a “light spanking” help teach your kids or prevent them from doing something harmful to himself or others? If it’s hard enough to be feared, it’s child abuse. If it’s a light tap, it’s meaningless. And in any case, if your child is so out of control that he is really causing harm to himself or others, then the last thing you’d want to do is to employ violence as a tool.
How is it “self-defense” to hit your kids?
Its not, he was just pointing out that the statement “violence is always wrong” is not correct. By extension, if violence is acceptable in one situation (eg. self-defense) then it might also be acceptable in another situation (eg. spanking).
And how will a “light spanking” help teach your kids or prevent them from doing something harmful to himself or others?
It won’t, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that society should be carting these parent’s off to jail or ripping apart the families.